House of Hades - Alternative Points of View
by Cha Povswa
Summary: House of Hades as told from different characters, because lets face it, we all want to know what Percy is thinking when he wakes up in bed next to Annabeth in a giant's swamp home. Or how about Nico's POV when he and Jason confront Cupid? Oohh, so I've intrigued you? Send requests for specifics otherwise I'll just follow the book :) Don't let me forget anything! - Cha Povswa
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER V**

PERCY

For the first time in his life since discovering his parentage, the son of Poseidon was truly jealous.

Jealous of Jason, son of Jupiter, who could fly by controlling the air and winds. Jealous of Frank, son of Mars, who could transform into a bird or dragon or, who knows, possibly even a pterodactyl. But no, the guy falling for hours could only control water and it didn't seem likely that they would be falling through a rain cloud anytime soon.

Percy Jackson's head spun wildly as he tumbled into pit. His senses seemed to be overloading. He could not even say which way was he was falling. As he fell, he pulled Annabeth into a hug, his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

The air whistled loudly as they fell, screaming so loudly past Percy's ears that his jaw clenched. The air became humid and thick.

Percy wished he knew how long they had been falling. It felt like eternity, but as they fell in complete darkness there was no indication of how many hours passed. Percy drew a breath. What if there was no bottom? What if he and Annabeth fell forever? Then in the same moment of panic; what if there was a bottom? What if they crash-landed and formed a crater like something out of a sci-fi movie? Neither of them would survive a landing like that.

Percy pulled Annabeth closer. He thought of Nico Di Angelo. "Meet us at the other side" he had told Nico. Now he wasn't so sure he would see Nico again. Or any of his friends.

He squeezed his eyes shut and shifted as Annabeth wrapped her arms around his waist. He was glad of her touch. Even gladder she was here with him. Or rather that he was here with her. He shuddered slightly at the thought of her falling alone. "As long as we are together" She had said.

Now, they might die together.

Percy clenched his jaw so tightly that his ears popped, blocking out even the screech of the wind. He desperately tried to think of a way to survive the plunge.

Suddenly the air changed. It was hotter and with his next breath, Percy's nose burned. The air was thick with sulfur. He opened his eyes and was blinded by a eerie light reflecting off red clouds. Spots clouded his vision as he blinked, trying to get his bearings.

They seemed to pick up speed. Percy was vaguely aware that the ground was getting closer. Annabeth squeezed his arm tightly and nearly screamed "Percy! Water!"

He looked down below them and understood what she wanted. A dark river snaked below them. At least he could tried to cushion them.

It was nearly impossible to focus as he tumbled. There was no familiar tugging sensation in his gut. His eyes widened as stories of the rivers of the Underworld clouded his brain. He remembered the River Lethe and its powerful memory erasing properties. He realized he was on the verge of panicking and shook his head, trying to concentrate.

As they neared the water, Percy yelled in sheer frustration. The water from the center of the river exploded, rising to meet them. He only had time to blink in surprise before the water engulfed him.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER VI

PERCY

When he touched the water his concentration broke. The same geyser that had risen to save them pulled them down into the depths of the river. Annabeth was torn away from him.

In the murky river waters ahead, he could make out her shadow as she fought the push of the undertow. He willed to current to push him after her. Just as he reached for her hand something wailed loudly in his ear, multiple something's. In his determination to reach Annabeth he pressed forward, alarmed that she was not longer fighting the flow, but sinking.

He reached for her hand and pulled her up to the surface. The moment his head went above water he flinched. The noise of hundreds of voices washed over him.

_Life is pointless. You will never be able to escape. You're dead already. _

The sounds reverberated through his skull. He found himself shivering, feeling the icy water for the first time. A part of him was horrified. Water was the only thing he could count on, at least, it had been back on the surface. He started to see the horror that was Tartarus. He cringed. Annabeth slipped an arm around him and tried to tow him towards the shore.

"Land," she struggled to form words through shattering teeth. "Go…sideways."

She kept tugging at him, but it was all Percy could do to stay afloat. The voices kept hounding him, filling his head with noise and not allowing him to think. He and Annabeth did not seem to move very far and as the river spoke to Percy, he found that he growing less concerned. The water no longer felt icy. He no longer felt it at all.

_Pointless. Everything is pointless._

"Pointless," he muttered. His eyes were heavy and his skin was so numb he could no longer feel the ragged clothes he was wearing.

He let his mind drift and slowly he felt himself sinking. Water covered his mouth and then his nose. Just before his eyes went under, Annabeth shrieked. "Percy!"

He fought to open his eyes. The water seemed to suck him under. Annabeth pulled and kicked, struggling to keep him from slipping below the surface.

"The river is messing with your mind. It's the Cocytus – the River of Lamentation. It's made of pure misery!"

He nodded, raising his mouth out of the water enough to agree. "Misery," he said.

"Fight it!"

But Percy could not. He watched her struggling to keep her head above water and although he knew he should help her, his limbs felt like lead. He could move neither his arms, nor his legs. She kicked and pleaded once more, but Percy did not even try to swim.

She grabbed his shoulders, like she had been trained to in the canoe lake at camp. His legs lifted as she forced him to float. It seemed like the river knew what she was trying to do though and the water seemed to try to suck them beneath the surface.

Annabeth squeezed his arm and kissed him. "Tell me about New Rome," she demanded. "What were your plans for us?"

Percy stirred. "New Rome… For us …"

She snapped at him, desperately trying to keep her head above the water. "Yeah, Seaweed Brain. You said we could have a future there! Tell me!"

In his head, he saw the streets of New Rome. He saw the temples and the crowded streets with shops and homes. He saw children playing in the fountains. All were blonde and thin as if they had also spent their childhood training to fight monsters. He saw families picnicking in the small parks surrounded by old style buildings.

"Architecture," Percy said quietly. He could not hold onto an image for very long. "Thought you'd like the houses, the parks. There's one street with all these cool fountains." In his mind, a thought struck him. The children playing in the fountains in his imagination looked like miniature Annabeths. The thought made his insides warm. He felt the water shy away from his skin again and willed the current to push them towards shore.

The going was slow and just when he thought that the effort would exhaust him Annabeth gasped "College, could we go there together?"

"Y-yeah" he stammered, shivering. He could feel again. The frigid water felt as if it could freeze his insides. He looked at her and was alarmed to see that her skin was blue tinged, even in the strange red light.

"What would you study?" She was trying to sound lively but her voice cracked.

"Dunno," Percy realized that he hadn't given his own future very much thought. Instead he had worried about Annabeth. Annabeth, who was struggling not to drown. The thought allowed him to focus his energy on controlling the water. He could get them to shore. He had to.

Annabeth nudged him, still trying to stay afloat beside him. "Marine science? Oceanography?"

He laughed weakly, it came out more like a groan, "Surfing?

Annabeth laughed out loud. The voices receded and the water suddenly felt easier to control. Percy urged the current to quickly push them to shore before the clamor could resume. There was not enough time though, the shore was just out of reach.

Annabeth continued to press forward, dragging him the last few yards. As soon as their feet hit the sandy bottom they breathed in relief. She and Percy held each other as they hauled themselves up on the riverbank. Percy sprawled out on his back, breathing heavily. Annabeth crawled to him on her knees and touched his shoulder. She knew he wanted the reassurance. They were okay. They survived the landing.

Percy coughed on the ground next to her and winced. His lungs burned. He raised his arm to reach for Annabeth's hand only to stare in shock at the blisters forming. An angry rash covered the inside of his arm from the wrist to the elbow. His fingers and hands were still raw and bleeding where he had desperately clung to that ledge before they were pulled into the pit. He pulled his hand back quickly and slumped back to the ground only to gasp and sit straight up in shock and pain.

Annabeth looked up at his sudden movements. Before he could warn her, she moved to sit up and flinched. She gave a small cry and raised her hands. Percy's eyes widened as he saw small glass shards embedded in her palms. He nervously pulled at his shirt, feeling the shards cutting into his lower back.

Percy watched as the pain on Annabeth's face turned to shock. Her eyes started to water as she gaped at their surroundings. Desperate to distract her he said, "This place smells like my ex-stepfather."

She met his eyes and rewarded him with a brief half-smile. But the contact only lasted a moment before she cast her eyes elsewhere. He looked at her and frowned. Annabeth's t-shirt was shredded, she skin was red and blistered. He winced as he saw the Bubble Wrap splint still around her ankle. He had almost forgotten. Cobwebs still clung to it, but they were only small strings, the thicker cords that dragged them down had been washed away.

He looked back up to her face and saw her looking at him. "We should keep moving," she said. "Or we'll get hypothermia. Can you stand?"

With a nod he struggled to rise, then helped her to her feet.

He looked around. The landscape was harsh and uninviting. Everything seemed pointed and jagged as if to conform to a demonic theme of pain and misery. The glass covered beach where they stood extended almost one hundred and fifty feet before it dropped off a cliff. He turned and stopped, squinting to make sure.

With a gasp, he pointed, "Look."

Annabeth turned and her breath caught in her throat. Percy gripped her hand. He looked over at the blue Italian car. It was undoubtedly the same Fiat that had sent Arachne plunging into the pit.

Cautiously they approached the wreck. It was empty and the silken prison that Annabeth had tricked Arachne into weaving was torn. Shredded silk trailed off into the darkness alongside a series of scrapes that marked where something large and heavy, with many legs, had dragged itself.

Percy felt Annabeth shiver beside him. "She's alive," her voice just louder than a whisper. The sky seemed to pulse with her words, then the clouds darkened.

"It's Tartarus," he said. "Monsters home court." He thought about all the monsters they had sent to Tartarus. What would happen if they killed one here? Where would it go? Would it not disintegrate like the others? "Down here, maybe they can't be killed."

Annabeth tensed beside him. Percy hadn't realized he was speaking out loud. He looked at her sheepishly, "Or maybe she's badly wounded, and she crawled away to die."

"Let's go with that" Annabeth agreed.

Percy looked at his hands, which were shaking and bleeding. He frowned and looked at Annabeth just as she said, "This place is killing us. I mean it's literally going to kill us."

He knew what she meant. His breathing was labored and his cuts should have already started to heal themselves, but the open wounds kept weeping blood.

"Unless…." Annabeth's eyebrows scrunched together.

"Unless what?" He tried to grin for her. "You've got a brilliant plan, haven't you"

She shrugged, "It's a plan. I don't know about brilliant. We need to find the River of Fire."

* * *

**OK. So I want to get a feel for how everyone is liking the story. Also I have finished the first few chapters of Percy/Annabeth and now in the HoH the POV goes back to the other seven. Most of which is in Leo's perspective and is mostly inner dialogue. **

**Would you all be okay with me skipping back to Percy and Annabeth? I promise you will get the others soon! I am kinda already toying with the idea of doing Calypso's POV... Yes? No? Feedback is our friend here... **

Also... I have been harboring a theory about Percy.. I am going to look up a few things in Mark of Athena and then get back to you, but would you all like me to expand on Percy's POV and possibly suggest a reason for his (for lack of a better word) power up? My feelings will not be hurt if you just want me to stick to Rick's story - I can go and write another FanFic later about that lol.

**Big thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, I really appreciate it (Also it puts pressure on me to sit down and write if i know that at least one person is waiting).**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter VII

PERCY

Percy and Annabeth walked slowly to the cliff's edge. Below them a wide river of fire cut through the black land. Unnatural shadows danced across the obsidian plain, cast by the horrible flames.

From eighty feet above, Percy could feel the heat. He carefully looked down the cliff face, searching for a safe path. "Uh…" He kept searching. "We can try that ledge there." He pointed to the tiny shelf jutting out of the rock.

"Might be able to climb down." Percy considered the possibility and shuddered. But there were no other options. Next to him, Annabeth searched for an alternative and finding none started to analyze their safest route to the bottom.

Percy went first. He lowered himself to the ground and swung his legs over the side. Every muscle in his upper body protested as he slowly lowered himself on the ledge. It held his weight so he bent down and slide along the small ridge until he was above series of protrusions that resembled handholds.

As he picked his way down, he felt the toxicity of the environment sapping his strength. All of the training in the world could not have prepared him for this. His hands smarted at any touch, making his grip weaker. He grunted as he dropped off the first ledge and slipped his foot in a small depression in the rock. He hung precariously for a moment with only one foot and one hand supporting him. Trying not to panic he lowered his other foot to the next ridge.

Annabeth followed him carefully. Her hands were wrapped in the torn sleeves of her t-shirt, but the blood from her cuts was still flowing. Percy could not help but watch her as she struggled. The pain was carved into her face as her hands burned with every movement.

"So… What is this river called?" He tried to keep her mind off the pain.

"The Phlegethon," she grunted in reply. "You should concentrate on going down"

"The _Phlegethon?_" He slide carefully along the next ledge. He didn't know how far they had climbed, but he was not going to look down to check. "Sounds like a marathon for hawking spit balls."

"Please don't make me laugh," she replied tensely.

From below he grinned, "Just trying to keep things light."

"Thanks, I'll have a smile on my face as I plummet to my death." Annabeth slipped slightly and Percy froze in fear. He could not bring himself to breathe until she righted herself, finding another foothold to support her weight.

They picked their way carefully down to the bottom. Percy waited for Annabeth the reach the ground after him. She stumbled, unsteady on her injured foot. He supported her, even as he felt like he would fall over. He kept one hand on her shoulder, meant more to steady himself than Annabeth.

"Just to the river," She sounded on the verge of panic. Her voice was as wavering as her feet.

Percy and Annabeth picked their way around glass boulders and stalagmites. Sweat dripped down their face in streams and they wet clothes steamed.

At the edge of the river Annabeth stumbled and Percy couldn't keep his feet. She pulled him down onto his knees beside her.

The question was on lips when Annabeth said, "We have to drink."

He felt himself sway slightly. He righted himself before replying, "Uh… drink fire?"

Annabeth explained that the Phlegethon flowed from the Underworld to Tartarus and although it was used to punish the wicked some legends referred to it as the River of Healing.

He head felt heavy and his breath was short. "Some… legends?" His vision began to blur as Annabeth continued.

"But it's fire," he protested. "How can we –"

"Like this." To his astonishment Annabeth thrust her hand into the river and cupped the fiery liquid in her hands.

Percy's eyes momentarily cleared in his panic. He reached towards her as she moved her hands to her mouth and took a sip. Her body jerked backwards and her eyes watered. Percy knelt beside her just as she started thrashing, rolling near the river. He used the last reserve of strength to grab her arms and pull her to safety.

As his vision faded, he saw her sit up. She said something to him, gesturing in the direction of the river. "I…" He started, but was unable to finish. He slumped sideways and darkness clouded his vision completely.

* * *

Percy felt like a burger on a grill. His skin was burning, his eyes were watering. His lungs threatened to explode and a fire consumed his throat. Rather quickly he became aware of Annabeth standing over him, looking frightened. He made an effort to sit up and give her a half grin, "Spicy, yet disgusting."

Annabeth barely laughed, but she was noticeably less scared. "Yeah. That pretty much sums it up."

Percy rose and put an arm around her. "You saved us."

"For now," she said. "The problem is, we're still in Tartarus."

Percy sighed and lifted his eyes to scan the horizon. "Holy Hera," he breathed. "I never thought… well, I'm not sure what I thought. Maybe that Tartarus was empty space, a pit with no bottom. But this is a real place." His mouth hung open as he tried to take in the bizarre, harsh landscape.

"We haven't seen all of it, this could be just the first tiny part of the abyss… like the front steps," Annabeth lifted her head to look at the red clouds.

"The welcome mat…" Percy shook his head. He looked upriver and then downriver. There seemed to be no end to the rocks and dangerous spikes that litter the ground. "We will find a way out," Percy declared. "The Doors of Death."

At least he hoped that they could survive to find the Doors. He had no idea where they would be located or how to try to find them. And then of course he and Annabeth would have to figure out how they worked. If he was honest with himself, he knew he was relying on Nico for that. He said a silent prayer to every god he could name, hoping that they would aid the others on their quest and get them to the Doors on the other side. Percy couldn't even bring himself to imagine what would happen if somehow they failed to make it in time.

"Well." Annabeth interrupted his thoughts. "If we stay close to the river, we'll have a way to heal ourselves. If we go downstream –"

Something dark moved behind Annabeth and threw itself from where it had been perched on the cliff face. Percy stiffened and reached for his sword. He uncapped Riptide with practiced ease and swung before it had time to fully extend. He slashed upwards above Annabeth's head and grunted as the weight of Arachne hit the blade. Almost instantly, the monstrous spider screeched and exploded in a shower of gold dust.

Percy did not allow himself to celebrate. Instead, he scanned the cliffs and the surrounding areas for other enemies, frowning when he realized the amount of cover the rocky landscape offered. Not looking at Annabeth he said, "You okay?"

She did not respond immediately. He turned, concerned. She was staring at him with wide eyes.

"She… She would've killed me," she stuttered. Percy frowned. Annabeth never stuttered, but otherwise she seemed unharmed.

He kicked the golden dust on the ground. "She died too easy, considering how much torture she put you through. She deserved worse." He felt a surge of anger and kicked the dust again. Blood pounded in his head and the hand that was not gripping Riptide clenched into a fist. He felt Annabeth looking at him still and raised his eyes to hers.

She continued to stare at him, "How did you move so quickly?"

For a moment, he was afraid that she was scared of him, but he dismissed the though with a shrug. "Gotta watch each other's backs, right?"

Annabeth nodded slowly.

"Now you were saying… downstream?" He tried to speak softly, not wanting to frigten her.

She nodded again cleared her throat. "Yeah, downstream," she struggled to pronounce the syllables. "If the river comes from the upper levels of the Underworld, it should flow deeper into Tartarus."

"So it leads into more dangerous territory, which is probably where the Doors of Death are. Lucky us." He tried not to sound bitter, but knew it was pointless when Annabeth bit her lip.

She did not say anything though, so in silence they made their way downstream.


End file.
